November 30, 2018

9 Reasons to Have a San Francisco Wedding

November 30, 2018/ Catalyst Wedding Co

San Francisco is one of those cities that’s both magic and really authentic. It doesn’t apologize for being itself, and neither do its couples. The average wedding spend for 100–200 guests is $63,00–105,00. San Francisco is also home to the nation’s biggest Pride events. You can only imagine the magic that comes from a city priding itself on authenticity and artistic expression, not to mention the beautiful views and venues at your disposal!

October 16, 2017

Real Couple // Black Tie LGBTQ City Hall Wedding: David + Michael

October 16, 2017/ san francisco city hall/ Catalyst Wedding Co

We are David White and Michael Rawls. We met in January 2011 and were married on June 20, 2016, at San Francisco City Hall. I wanted our proposal story to be special, so we planned a trip to Las Vegas in September of 2015. We saw Celine Deon and Britney Spears in concert two nights back to back, which was pretty awesome. I surprised Michael the second afternoon with a helicopter tour from Vegas out to the Grand Canyon. Michael had never been to the Grand Canyon, and neither of us had been in a helicopter. The helicopter tour we selected was special because we didn't just fly over the canyon. We landed by the Colorado River and had a champagne lunch with the pilot and two other couples. While we were in the belly of the canyon, I asked Michael to be my husband. It was pretty great: he said yes.

September 27, 2017

Real Couples // A Simple San Francisco Elopement: Christine + Lee

September 27, 2017/ Catalyst Wedding Co

Christine shared with us that their relationship was a bit of a roller coaster ride with highs and lows. They were even apart for a stretch. Through that she learned that when you lose something you once had, it’s an opportunity to realize how important that something — that someone — is. When they got back together, she knew that he was the one and she wanted to share all of life’s blessings and challenges with him.

May 23, 2017

Real Couples // Pantsuit Glam at the Courthouse: Chloe + Mike

May 23, 2017/ Catalyst Wedding Co

I LOVE SF City Hall! It is hands down one of my favorite venues ever! So of course I was going to make sure we got to tie the knot there, and since we knew we didn't want to jump through all the hoops needed to legally get married in Mexico, like the blood test, my City Hall Dream worked out perfectly.

May 10, 2017

Real Couples // Bridal Overalls & City Hall: Nora + Ben

May 10, 2017/ Catalyst Wedding Co

Nora and Ben were married at San Francisco City Hall surrounded by their families and a good friend. I loved that they weren't afraid to do things a little differently. Nora wore the white, embroidered overalls her mother was married in paired with a lacy, backless top and gold shoes. For their flowers, which were made by a friend, Handsome Flowers, Nora asked for a bouquet that looked like it could have been foraged in the forest. Ben's only request: mushrooms. Which resulted in one of the coolest boutonnieres I've seen!

April 21, 2017

Real Couples // San Francisco City Hall Resistance Wedding: Thomas + Craig

April 21, 2017/ Catalyst Wedding Co

The pair was planning an August wedding at the Berkeley Botanical Gardens, but given the current political climate they decided to move up their legal ceremony. I donated this session as a part of Catalyst Wed Co’s movement to support LGBTQ and undocumented couples in the wake of the election. Thomas, Craig, and I gave $500 to the Trevor Project, which provides crisis intervention for LGBTQ youth, in lieu of the session fee.

September 30, 2015

4 Reasons Why Couples Should Embrace the Courthouse Wedding

September 30, 2015/ Catalyst Wedding Co

Whether a couple chooses to have a courthouse wedding as a budget-friendly alternative to a large wedding or is celebrating their new legal right to be wed, courthouse weddings are not second rate; rather they are intimate, beautiful celebrations of love.